MEMBER STORY- Lisa Shaddick
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by Lisa Shaddick
I grew up with dogs. Great Danes. German Shepherds. Rottweilers. They were an integral part of our family. So, in 2003, at 39 when I was living alone in London after a particularly devastating breakup, I decided to get a dog.
I knew a big dog wouldn’t work in my small flat, despite having a good-sized garden. I researched and discovered this incredible breed. I collected Spaghetti (of course!) – Spaghie for short – from his breeders (The Rev and Mrs Good) on Valentine’s Day 2004. He was the most incredible dog. He came everywhere with me: the office on the bus, the pub, where there was always a bowl of water for him, he even enjoyed shopping in Selfridges in a slingbag as a puppy. His claim to fame, though, was modelling for a doggie clothing brand, appearing on the ASOS website and in Topshop displays.
In 2011, when Spaghie was 8, Lola joined the family from Shirley Hewitson. Lola immediately ruled the roost, despite being tiny, and had Spaghie wrapped around her paw. We were a wonderful little unit that I hoped would never change. The three of us moved out of London to rural Buckinghamshire in 2018.
In 2022, just shy of turning 18, Spaghie passed away suddenly. I have never felt all-consuming grief like it. Not even when I lost my parents. Lola’s compass was gone, and she mourned as well. We were both lost and I thought we would never be the same. But six months later, I got in touch with Shirley to ask her to think of me for upcoming litters – and I wanted a boy. She told me she had a boy who had been due to go to a family that week, but they had changed their mind due to the congenital issue with his eye – he would need eye drops multiple times a day, every day, for the rest of his life.
She sent me his photos – he was, of course, utterly gorgeous. I spoke with my vet about his eye and Rigatoni – Riggs for short – joined me and Lola in February 2022. Lola became more settled, and we felt whole again. It is hard for the dog who comes after such a loss, but Riggs healed my heart in ways I didn’t even know it was broken. Everything was perfect and I had no plans to get another dog.
What’s the saying? You make plans and you hear God laughing.
On 11 August 2025, I was in the Cromwell Hospital, waiting to have shoulder surgery, scrolling through Facebook. I saw on the Bolognese Club’s page that several Bolognese had been surrendered at the Leeds Dog’s Trust. “Don’t click on the link…” I thought. I knew if I did, there was no going back. Fortunately, the pre-op activity overtook me. After surgery, and dosed up on morphine, I was back on Facebook, staring at the post. A quick look wouldn’t hurt, surely?
There were four Bolognese: an 8-year-old boned pair – Ellie and Evie – and two separate girls, Molly and Mitzi, both 11 years old, all from the same household. I discounted the pair – what crazy person has four dogs? Mitzi had medical conditions, but Molly had an eye condition that required daily drops. “This dog is meant to be mine,” I thought. I’d  look into it when I was home.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Molly. How hard could one more small dog be? I filled in the adoption application and waited for a call back. When it came, I was told Molly had already been adopted. I was disappointed but knew it was not meant to be. We went on to discuss Mitzi, and Ellie and Evie. Mitzi was at that point too unwell to be adopted. I agreed to meet Ellie and Evie in Leeds, with Riggs, a few days later.
At that meet, Ellie and Evie were so lovely and gorgeous, and the three of them got on very well. My other main consideration was Lola, who is now 14 and not in the best of health, which is why she didn’t make the six-hour round trip. She has earned the right to a wonderful, calm senior life, so I didn’t want to overly disturb the energy in the house. But both girls were calm, sweet and loving. There was no decision to be made. I went back to Leeds a few days later to collect them. (I am now the crazy person with four dogs!)
It’s been two months since Ellie and Evie have been with me, Riggs and Lola, and things could not be better. They have fit in so well it’s as if they have always been here. Riggs is beside himself with happiness. He has clicked with Evie – he loves being near her, follows her around, sleeps next to her and generally is her shadow. Ellie is my shadow – she is attached to me wherever I am. And I am so impressed with how respectful both girls are of Lola. I attribute that to them coming from a home with multiple dogs. And it was clearly a good home; they are well-behaved, kind, and so loving. I understand they were surrendered because their owner went into hospice. It breaks my heart when I think about making that decision. I tell the girls each day they are loved, they are wanted and they are home.
Most importantly, I haven’t diverted any love from Riggs and Lola, I am simply loving more, which seemed impossible before. I can’t believe how much I love these two girls after such a short amount of time. But that’s the magic of this breed – they capture your heart in ways you can’t fathom.
A friend said to me the girls were so lucky coming to live with me, but I’m the lucky one!  Having said that, I have no plans to expand the pack any further… I really hope no one’s laughing!
